Grover mfg



June 24 1924.

7 A. R. THOMPSON l H EATTREATING APPARATUS Fon 'PAcKAGEdGoobs Original Filed June 7. 1921 NNI:

ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 24,1924.

y maar yUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ALBERT R. THOMPSON, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOPU TO ANDERSON-BARN- GROVER MFG. C0., OF SAN' JOSE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATGN OF GALIFRNZA.

HEAT-TREATING APPARATUS FOR PACKAGEB GOODS.

Original application filed June 7, 1921, Serial No, 475,643, Divided and this application filed May 1,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT R. THOMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing `at San J ose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heat- Treating Apparatus for Packaged Goods, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my pending application, Serial Number 475,643, filed llune 7, 1921, for a patent for method of rocessing milk.

y invention relates to apparatus for heat-treating packaged goods, and while specially adapted for use in the processing of milk according to the method described in the application above identified, is also adapted for the treatment of other co mestibles, particularly as a cooker in the canning art, in which it is necessary to subject the goods according to their nature, to the cooking heat during varying time periods. f

The variable time period in cookers of this type is commonly effected in one of two ways, namely, either by varying the speed of the carrier which advances the goods through the treating chamber, or by varying the length of the path pursued by the goods. Cookers are also known, especially of the pressure type, in which the goods are car ried through successive compartments, in which the temperature varies one from the other. In such machines it is obvious that if the temperature in one compartment be so reduced as to fail of cooking function the time of cook would be proportionately varied. It is to this idea in addition to its functionas a step in the method of processM ing milk disclosed in my former application of which this is a division, that my invention is directed, and to the end that it may be conveniently and effectively einbodied in a practical device my invention consists in the novel apparatus for heattreat-ing packaged goods which I shall here-- inafter fully describe by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the iig-nre is a longitudinal vertical section of my apparatus.

In the following description, I shall, for the sake of simplicity refer toV the packaged goods as cans.

A is a shell provided with a can inlet 1 Serial No. 639,438.

and a can outlet 2. ANithin the shell, around its inner circumference is a fixed, helically directed rail 3 which forms one member of a can track. The other nieifnbe-nis a rotatable reel il, carrying a peripheral series spaced rails parallel with the reel a; lying in such proximity to the fixed, helio directed rail as to form therewith a for the cans, said rails 3 and 5 coact to produce a helical path through which a procession or stream of cans is continuously adva ced from the inlet 1 to vthe outlet 2, in a manner common to and well known in the art. The reel el has a shaft 4; for rotating it, the shaft being driven by a gear 4" or other suitable means.

Upon the shaft Ll and rotating with are the spaced cross-plates G lying between the end heads of the reel. These plates may be in any suitable number,v two being here shown, dividing the shell into three succesn sive compartments. Said plates are im perforate, but as will be seen the several compartments periplierally communicate through the continuons can-track formed by the rails 3 and 5, but as this track is. in open ation, filled with cans, the ccini'nunica'tion is but slight, and this, taken in connection with the imperforate cross plates 6 renders it pos sible, in practise, to give to and maintain in each compartment a different temperature degree without appreciable interchzfinge Tlv; heatinol medium is preferably water, indicated by i. rlhis is supplied by a pipe 8, and is drained o when necessary through a bottom chamber 9 and a drain 10. rlhe 'water is heated by steam admitted through perforated pipes. For example, one steam pipe 11 enters and is housed in the underlying drain chamber 9 and lies below the first compartment. Another steam pipe 12 lies in the chamber 9 below the third coinpartm ment, and still another steam pipe 13, ccnveniently passing through the steam pipe 12, lies in the chamber 9 below the second com partnient. Each of these pipes is independ ently controlled as to the volume of steam admitted, in accordance with the temperature desired in each compartment. For this purpose I have shown the cocks 14, 15 and 16 respectively. Thus a different temperature may be maintained in each compartment of the shell A, or the steam may be cut olf from one or more compartments as desired.

ln order to further guard against appreciable interchange of heat between the compartments, there are division plates 17 depending from the bottom of the shell into the chamber 9.

The function of this apparatus, in processing milk contained in hermetically sealed cans is that of a pre-heater. For example the cans are subjected in the first compartment to a temperature of about 700 F; in the second compartment, to a temperature of about l2()o F.; and in the third compartment to a temperature of about 180 F.

ln using the apparatus as a Variable time cooker, the operation is as follows :M

lf the goods are of a nature to require the longest time of cook, all the compartments are given a cooking temperature, and the cans are passed through the Whole length of the shell from inlet to outlet during which they are subjected for the full time of their travel to said temperature.

But if the goods require a shorter time of cook, the temperature of the first compartnient is either reduced below that required for cooking or the steam to said compartnient is cut off completely, While the temperature of the second and third compartments is maintained at the degree required for cooking. Therefore, though the cans enter at the inlet 2 and pass through thev first compartment, they are not exposed to a cooking temperature therein but they are so exposed in the. succeeding compartments, and the time' of cook is thus shortened. Likewise the very shortest cook may be had by cutting off the/steam from the first and second compartmentsV and permitting the cooking in the third compartment only.

lt should be noted that the cross-plates 6 separating' the compartments are part of' and rotate With the reel 4l. They do not, therefore, present any obstruction to the continuity of the can path, as non-rotating or lined partitions would, which latter would require special features of the track toV enable the cans to pass over them. ln the present device the can track is uniform throughout but When filled With cans, the interchange of heat is negligible.

l claim l. An apparatus for heat "treating packaged goods comprising a heating shell having an inlet and an outlet; a hehcally d1- rected fixed rail within the shell about the inner surface of its periphery; a rotatable reel within the shell having a peripheral series of rails parallel With-the reelY axis and coacting with the helically directed rail to forni a path for conducting the goods through the shell from theinlet to the outlet; an imperforate cross plate carried by and within the reel and rotating therewith; said plate dividing the reel into successive compartments communicating through the goods path; and means for maintaining different teniperatures in each compartment.

2. An. apparatus for heat treating packaged goods comprising a heating shell having an inlet and an outlet; a helieally directed fixed rail Within the shell about the inner surface of its periphery; a rotatable reel Within the shell having a peripheralk series of rails parallel with the reel axis and roasting with the helically directed rail to form a path for conducting the goods through the shell from the inlet tothe outlet; an imperfora-te cross. plate carried-by and Within the reel and rotating therewith, said plate dividing the reel into successive compartments communicating through the goods path; and inean's for maintaining dif-V ferenttemperatures in each compartment, consisting of separately controllable steam pipes.

Q. An apparatus' for heat-treating packa jd goods comprising a heating shellhavin an inlet and an outlet; a helically direfted fixed rail Within the shellA about the inner surface of its periphery; a-rotatable reel Within the shell having a peripheral series of rails parallel 'with the reel axis` and coacting with the helically directed rail to forni a path for conduct-ing the goods` through the 'shell from the inlet to the outlet; an imperforate cross plate carried by and Within the reel and rotating therewith?, said plate dividing the reel into successive compartments communicating through the goods path; a drain chamber underlying and communicating With the shell and separately controllable steam pipes housed Within said drain chamber and adapted to supply7 steam to said compartments respectively.

In testimony whereof I have signedV my naine to this specification.

ALBERT n. T-HoMrsoN. 

